Materia Master
by Lance Cortex
Summary: Tifa has led an uneventful life in the three years following the demise of Sephiroth. However, all of that is about to change with the reappearance of an old friend. (Chapter 5 is up! Please R&R)
1. A Simple Life

_All rights to names and locations used in this story are owned by Squaresoft or Square Enix, whatever it is now. The only thing in this story that belongs to me is the concept. Please do not sue me._

**Chapter 1:**

Tifa woke up groggily as the first rays of morning sunlight streamed peacefully through the partially-closed blinds of her window. She registered this fact with mild interest; she was still tired and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep.

Naturally, she was not allowed such a luxury, for her alarm clock went off a few seconds later. She grimaced and flung her arm out from under the covers in an attempt to shut off the infernal machine. Eventually, she found the correct button and the repetitive beeping subsided.

Tifa sighed tiredly. If she wasn't wide awake before, she was _now_. The young woman yawned and stretched underneath her silk sheets. She would have to make breakfast for Marlene and open up the shop in about an hour and a half, so she didn't really have time to spend lounging about in bed.

The former fighter put her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, allowing her mind to wander as she often did ever since Cloud and the others left on their quest to find the Materia. She sighed again, wishing for perhaps the thousandth time that she had not allowed Cloud to convince her to stay behind. At times like this, when the responsibilities of leading the simple life of a shop keeper in Midgar began to weigh on her, she wished she could return to a time when she, Cloud, and all the others traveled the world over in a search for Sephiroth. Those times were difficult and, at times, extremely dangerous, but she cherished those memories as some of the best experiences of her life. Now, stuck as she was to lead a simple, uneventful life, she realized just how much she yearned for the adventure of those bygone days.

Just then, the door to her room burst opened and in ran Marlene, her bare feet padding against the wooden floor as she scampered into the room with her long hair and nightgown trailing after her, "Auntie Tifa! Wake up, wake up! You told me not to let you sleep too late, remember?"

Tifa sat up in bed, clutching the covers to her chest, as Marlene jumped up on the mattress and fixed her guardian with a playful smile. Tifa responded, "Oh, you got me, Marlene. It's a good thing you were here to wake me up, or else I might've just slept the entire day away."

Marlene giggled and bounced up and down on the bed excitedly, "Yeah, you can't be a sleepy-head today, Auntie Tifa! You promised you'd make omelets for breakfast. Remember?"

Tifa laughed, "Of course. Thanks for reminding me, Marly. Why don't you go get dressed and I'll be right down to fix breakfast, okay?"

"Okay," Marlene said as she scooted off the bed, "Just don't go back to sleep as soon as I leave, okay?"

"I won't. I promise," Tifa chuckled as the little girl ran out of the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

The young woman smiled affectionately. Marlene was such a sweet little girl, and it was at times like this that Tifa was glad she had this time to spend with her. She sighed, torn between her feelings to explore the world like she used to and staying here in Midgar to care for Marlene. Sometimes she had difficulty deciding which alternative she yearned more.

Knowing that Marlene would probably be back to pester her if she waited any longer, Tifa threw back the covers and stepped out onto the chill wooden floor. She shivered as the cold wind from the open window blew over her naked flesh, and she reminded herself that winter would be approaching soon. A trip to Costa del Sol sounded like a good idea right about now. Marlene had never been, Tifa recalled, so maybe she would be able to take the girl there some time in the coming months. That is, if she had enough money in savings.

But that was rarely a problem, Tifa reflected as she stepped over to her mirror and ran a brush through her silky black hair. Cloud and the others regularly sent money home from their adventures, so she knew that a trip for two to Costa del Sol was not entirely out of the question.

With a sudden feeling of contentment, Tifa slipped on a silk robe, tied it up, and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Marlene was already down in the living room watching cartoons on the television. She looked up as Tifa passed by and smiled that impish little grin of hers. Tifa smiled back and got to work in the kitchen.

She never was a really good cook, but she picked up a few tips from her time spent with Aeris. Tifa's smile disappeared at the sad memory. Contrary to what some of her other friends seemed to think, Aeris was never really considered competition; true, both women were attracted to Cloud, but Tifa could see that the relationship between Cloud and Aeris was more akin to one of a brother and sister. In the short time they knew each other, they cared for each other very much, but that was pretty much the extent of their feelings.

Tifa viewed Aeris as a very close friend. As they traveled together, the two women got to know each other in a mutually beneficial friendship: Tifa taught Aeris how to fight, while Aeris taught Tifa how to cook and act more like a lady. In the end, they learned a great deal from each other, even though they had barely spent a few months together.

And now, with Aeris' death, Tifa felt a void in her heart that she doubted would ever be filled. She knew that all the rest of her friends felt the same way; Aeris was just one of those people who seemed to touch a sensitive spot in whoever she encountered.

Once the whole matter with Sephiroth had been taken care of, Cloud had opted to construct a lovely grave for their departed friend in the middle of the graveyard in Sector 3, where Cloud and Tifa had decided to build a house and settle down. Every now and then, Tifa would head over to the church where Cloud and Aeris had first met and pick some of the flowers from her friend's garden to place on the grave. She knew how much Aeris loved her garden, so Tifa took great pride in maintaining the health of the flowers growing out of the floorboards of that church.

Whenever Cloud and the others happened to be in the area, they, too, would stop by the grave of their friend and pay their respects. Tifa glanced up from the vegetables she was chopping and gazed at the small framed picture she kept hanging on the wall next to the doorway. It was a photograph of the group she had traveled with during her adventures to stop Sephiroth. Cloud stood in the middle with his arms folded and a slight smile tugging at his lips. Tifa stood at his left with her arm around his shoulder. Barret stood to his right with a big goofy grin on his otherwise gruff face. Cid, Red XIII, Vincent, Yuffie, and Cait Sith were also in the picture, each with their own respective poses and demeanors. The only missing face was Aeris.

The young woman smiled as she recalled all the good times she had spent with her friends. After they had defeated Sephiroth three years ago, the group had more or less split up and gone back to their lives. Reeve had been appointed as an advisor to the president of Midgar, and had played a key role in bringing order back to the chaotic metropolis. Yuffie left to do her own thing, but not before stealing a considerable amount of Materia from Cloud. She was off searching for more, no doubt. Red XIII had left to bring peace back to his tribe and follow in his father's footsteps. Cid took up a job with the space program in Midgar in the hopes of one day being the first man to set foot on the moon. Vincent left for parts unknown, and neither Tifa nor any of the others had heard a thing from him since. Cloud and Tifa had built the house she now lived in, while Barret took a job as a researcher of Materia.

For a while, everything had been fine and everyone tried to pick up the pieces of their respective lives. Cloud had even proposed to Tifa, an offer to which she happily agreed. However, everything changed when Tifa found Cloud unconscious in the yard several months ago. He was out of it for a few days, and just when Tifa was finally ready to take him to the hospital, he woke up, delirious. When he finally got his wits back, he told Tifa of how he had received a vision of destruction that was so disturbing that he could only equate it to the end of the world.

Naturally, Tifa was curious, but she trusted Cloud's judgment. He was not the kind of man to take things like this lightly. He went to visit the sages of Red's tribe, and they informed him that what he saw was indeed a vision of immense destruction and death. According to the sages, the doom of the planet was to be brought about by the misuse of an incredibly powerful Materia, one that was hidden away centuries ago. However, they informed him that this vision was merely a possibility, and that it could be avoided if the appropriate actions were taken to prevent the discovery of this Materia. Once again, it seemed that Cloud was being forced to assume the role of the planet's guardian.

At about the same time, Barret had discovered a rather startling discovery throughout the course of his research: it seemed that in the years following the arrival of the Meteor Materia and its subsequent destruction, all the Materia on the planet had been acting strangely. Now, it seemed that every piece of Materia in existence was beginning to acquire the uses and functions of all the other Materia. Barret's team of researchers hypothesized that in a matter of years, all the Materia on the entire planet would eventually converge and meld into one giant interconnected network of elemental energy.

At this point, Cloud was able to put two and two together and realize that the homogenization of the Materia would be the cause of the planet's destruction. Without wasting a moment, he gathered together what members of the old group he could find -- himself, Barret, Cid, and Red XIII -- and the four of them embarked on a journey to collect every last piece of Materia left on the planet. He put his wedding with Tifa on hold, fixed up the Highwind, and left for a voyage that Tifa desperately wished she could have been a part of.

The young woman sighed as she watched the eggs bubble and pop in the frying pan. She had begged Cloud to let her go, but he convinced her that somebody needed to stay in Midgar to take care of Marlene. Some days, she just couldn't stand the fact that the entire world was in danger and she couldn't do anything about it.

_Not couldn't_, she reminded herself as she slid the finished omelets onto a plate, _Nothing is keeping me here. It would be so easy to just find somebody else to look after Marlene. There's no reason for me to be stuck here while everyone else fights for peace without me_.

But such a thought remained just that -- a thought. She knew of no one who could watch after Marlene in her absence, and she dare not place her in a foster home in the care of some stranger. No, it was much better that Marlene was given the chance to grow up in a normal household; she was not going to deny the girl a good upbringing just so she could fulfill her own dreams, no matter how tempting they may be.

A slight gust of wind blew through the house, cutting through the thin silk of Tifa's robe and chilling her to the bone. The house was still fairly new, and it lacked many of the luxuries enjoyed by those who lived in older houses -- such as insulation. Tifa smiled ruefully; installing insulation was going to be Cloud's next project, but since he was gone, the former fighter decided that she would just have to do it herself.

Just then, Marlene's excited yelling reached Tifa's ears from the next room, "Yay! Auntie Tifa! Auntie Tifa! Look who's here!"

Then, much to Tifa's surprise, a familiar voice responded, "Heya kiddo! You sure have grown! Why, you're gonna be taller than me in no time at all!"

Not quite believing her ears, Tifa set the plate of omelets down on the dining room table and walked briskly over to the living room. There, leaning down on her knees to reach eye level with Marlene, was a face that the young woman had not seen in a very long time.

"Hey, Tiff. Good to see ya again," Yuffie greeted her old comrade in a cheerful voice, "Do I smell omelets?"

"Yuffie.....I.....well, this is quite a surprise," the young woman stuttered, completely taken off balance by the arrival of a person that she never thought she would see again, "How long has it been? Wait.....I didn't hear the front door opening. Did you come in through the window?"

"I'd say it's been three years, at least. And yeah, I did. Sorry. Windows are more my style," the ninja answered as she stood up straight, "I was in the neighborhood, so I decided to stop by and see what you were up to."

Tifa could tell by the look in the younger woman's eyes that there was more to it than that, but she realized that Yuffie was not going to say any more than that while Marlene was present.

"Where have you been all this time, Auntie Yuffie?" the little girl inquired, "Did you bring me anything?"

"You bet I did!" Yuffie said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small golf ball-sized green stone, "Here. Do you know what this is?"

"It's Materia, right?" Marlene asked with a look of childlike pleasure in her eyes.

"That's right. Smart girl. Here, you can have it. Just be sure to keep it in a safe place," Yuffie instructed as she handed the stone to the girl.

Marlene accepted it eagerly and held it in her small hands, "Wow, thanks Auntie Yuffie! I promise I'll keep it somewhere safe!"

Tifa, of course, was leery of allowing Marlene to handle Materia; she would have a word with Yuffie about it later. Instead, she cleared her throat and said, "Well, Marlene and I were just sitting down to breakfast. Would you care to join us?"

"Would I?" Yuffie said with a smile, "You bet I would. The smell was what led me here in the first place!"

Tifa divided the two omelets up into three equal portions and sat down at the head of the table. Yuffie dug into the meal with a passion, and when Marlene tried to imitate the ninja, Yuffie toyed with the girl and challenged her to see who could finish their breakfast first. Tifa couldn't help but smile at the antics of the two; Yuffie would always be a child at heart.

After breakfast, Tifa deposited the dirty dishes into the sink while Yuffie tried to teach Marlene how to snap her fingers at the dining room table. The young woman smiled happily. Yuffie had always been somewhat distant from the rest of the group, but Tifa felt better knowing that she was here. In a way, the ninja's presence was enough to bring back the memories of her past adventures with all the others. It would be good to catch up on old times with the bubbly young lady.

When Tifa walked back into the dining room, she found Yuffie sitting on the floor snapping her fingers with a giggling Marlene trying unsuccessfully to do likewise. The former fighter spoke up, "Marlene, sweetie, why don't you go watch some more cartoons while Auntie Yuffie and I talk?"

"Okay," the girl agreed as she continued to try to get her fingers to snap, "But when you're done, can I show Auntie Yuffie my toys?"

Tifa nodded, and Marlene ran off into the living room. Yuffie watched her leave for a second before picking herself up off the floor with a bemused smile on her face, "She's quite a kid, isn't she? Reminds me of myself when I was younger."

"Oh, now there's a comforting thought," Tifa teased as she took a seat at the table.

Yuffie did likewise and folded her arms across the tabletop, "Oh, now what is that supposed to mean? I turned out alright, didn't I?"

Tifa could only chuckle at the comment.

When her companion didn't answer, Yuffie sighed and said, "Well, you're probably wondering what I'm doing here, aren't you?"

Tifa nodded, "Yeah, actually. I mean, you didn't exactly leave on good terms, so I had given up all hope of seeing you again. Rather, I had given up all hope of seeing you _alive_ again."

Yuffie chuckled, "I'll bet Cloud was pretty pissed. Not that I blame him; I got some pretty good Materia off of him. But anyway, that's all in the past. I'm here for a different reason."

Yuffie leaned forward on the table and spoke in an uncharacteristically business-like voice, "I've been keeping track of what you and the rest of the crew has been up to. I heard about Cloud's little incident with the prophecy, and his subsequent journey to collect all the rest of the Materia in the world. I've been meaning to visit you for some time, but I knew that if I even attempted to get within a hundred feet of this house, Cloud would kill me and cut me up into a thousand little pieces."

"Understandably so," Tifa pointed out.

Yuffie assumed a sheepish look, "Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with you there. But whatever. The point is that he's gone and I can finally talk with you one-on-one. You see, um, I was wondering......." she trailed off.

Tifa sighed, "You need my help with something, don't you?"

"Actually, it's the other way around," Yuffie said earnestly, "I want to help you guys. You see, after we whipped Sephiroth, I figured that the world was all better and we'd never have to worry about such a large threat again. At least, not in _our_ lifetimes, anyway. But then I heard about this matter with Cloud and the Materia and the destruction of the world and I couldn't just sit here and do nothing about it. I want to help you guys collect the Materia, and I figured that you would probably be the only one who would even listen to me."

"Well, I don't mean to judge you based on your past actions, but naturally I'm suspicious," Tifa fixed the younger woman with a penetrating stare, "This sounds like just another one of your tricks to get all of our Materia. You'll forgive me if I sound skeptical, but you have to admit that my concerns are perfectly justified."

"Of course they are," Yuffie agreed as she held up her hands defensively, "But I've decided to take measures to prove to you that I'm sincere. For example, you know that Materia I just gave Marlene?" she continued when Tifa nodded, "Well, it's a new type of Protection Materia. As long as Marlene keeps it close to her, no physical harm will befall her. I wouldn't give up such a precious Materia if I wasn't sincere, now would I?"

"What do you mean, 'a new type'?" Tifa asked.

Yuffie smiled and explained with a glint in her eye, "Don't you see, Tiff? With all of the Materia becoming normalized, all the old stuff we used in our battle against Sephiroth is changing, evolving, getting better. Every single piece of Materia is beginning to assume the characteristics of its counterparts. Now a simple Fire Materia also has the attributes of Cure, Morph, Steal, Ice, and a whole bunch of others all rolled up into one! Within a matter of years, one single piece of Materia will be able to achieve the same affects of twenty separate pieces!"

"Exactly. And that's why Cloud and the others are trying to find them all; they don't want this newfound power to be abused by people like you," Tifa said accusingly.

"Whoa now, hold the phone," Yuffie said quickly, "Do you think I want to bring about the destruction of the world? Trust me, I would love to be as powerful as I possibly can be, but if the cost of that is the end of the planet, then I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on that. Come on, Tifa. You know I take prophecies very seriously. I consider it my responsibility as a Materia Hunter to help bring about peace in the world. And if it means the destruction of all my precious Materia, so be it. Hell, with all the technological advancements Midgar has had since Sephiroth bit the big one, it wouldn't surprise me if a new form of power was discovered sometime soon to replace Materia. I can live without it as long as I keep that thought in my mind."

Tifa sighed and looked the younger woman in the eye for a good long time. Yuffie stared back, her face showing all signs of sincerity, "Come on, Tiff. I'm sorry about what I did in the past, and I don't blame you one bit for being skeptical, but you know that you can trust me. We've fought alongside each other more times than I can recall, and a bond born on the battlefield is one that will never be broken. You can trust me."

The former fighter rubbed her temples as a million thoughts ran through her head. After a while, common sense prevailed and she concluded, "Yuffie, you know that I trust you with my life. I wouldn't trade the experiences we've had in the past for anything. And as tempting as your offer sounds, I just can't help you out right now. Someone has to look after Marlene, and I'm the only one who can do so right now."

Yuffie smiled proudly, "Already taken care of! You don't need to worry a bit about Marlene. I've already worked out a solution to that."

Tifa raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And what might that be?"

Yuffie glanced at the clock on the wall, "Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Don't worry. Marlene's safety isn't even a concern at this point. With that worry out of your head, I need to know: will you let me help you look for Materia?"

Tifa folded her arms across her chest, "I wish you wouldn't play these games. I can't answer you until my question about Marlene has been answered first."

Yuffie shrugged and stood up, "Very well, but I'm not about to ruin the surprise. Like I said, you'll find out soon enough. But after that, I'll need an answer. Deal?"

Tifa stood up as well and answered, "We'll see."

Yuffie nodded tersely, "Fair enough. Do you, uh, do you need help with the dishes or anything?"

Tifa held back a laugh; she certainly hadn't expected such an offer from Yuffie. She regained her composure and answered, "Um......no. Thank you. I'll take care of it. Why don't you let Marlene show you her toys now?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Yuffie said happily and skipped off to the living room to play with Marlene. Tifa watched her go with mixed emotions before heading into the kitchen.

As the young woman scrubbed the dishes absently, she couldn't help but let her mind wander. So much had already happened today, she didn't quite know how to cope with it all.

After the menial task had been completed and Tifa went to place the dishes back in their respective drawers and cupboards, the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Curious, Tifa made sure her robe was tightly closed and made her way to the door. As she passed through the dining room, she spotted Yuffie playing with Marlene in the other room. In the split second that the two women met each other's eyes, Tifa detected a glint of mischief in the ninja's gaze. Could this have anything to do with the younger woman's solution about who would care for Marlene should Tifa decide to leave?

_Well, there's only one way to find out_, Tifa reasoned as she opened up the front door.


	2. Another Old Friend

**Chapter 2:**

"Reeve!" Tifa exclaimed as she laid eyes on the figure standing in the doorway.

"Hello, Tifa. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," the mild-mannered business man replied with a shy grin. As always, he looked quite professional, dressed as he was in a business suit and tie.

"Oh, no, not at all. Come on in," the young woman said with one hand holding her robe closed as she stood aside for her old friend to get by.

"You have a lovely house," Reeve commented as he stepped through the doorway, "I see you and Cloud have been really taking care of it."

"Yeah, we try to. Owning a house is a lot of work, but we're managing," Tifa responded happily as she closed the front door and made her way to the kitchen, "Can I get you some tea or something?"

"Oh, no thank you. I'm fine," Reeve answered politely as he stuck his hands in his pockets, "So anyway, I know this is kind of awkward, but I was wondering --"

He was probably going to say more, but he trailed off as Yuffie walked in from the living room, a broad grin stretched across her youthful face. The ninja smiled sweetly and said, "Heya Reeve. How's it going?"

"Pretty good, thanks for asking," Reeve looked back and forth between the two women before saying uncertainly, "So, um, when exactly am I starting? I can begin as early as tomorrow."

"Begin what?" Tifa asked, puzzled.

Reeve gave her a funny look, then understanding began to dawn on his face. He turned to Yuffie, who was leaning against the door frame, and said, "You didn't tell her yet, did you?"

"Tell me what?" Tifa demanded, wishing she knew what was going on.

"Okay, the surprise is over," Yuffie said cheerfully, "So I'll tell you what I meant earlier about you not having to worry about looking after Marlene. See, I asked Reeve if he could take care of her for a few weeks while we're out looking for Materia. And now he's here! So what do you think? Will that work for ya?"

Tifa knitted her eyebrows and said, "Well, um, I......don't know. This is just all so sudden. I need some time to think about it."

"Ah, listen, please take your time in making this decision," Reeve cautioned, "Yuffie has fully informed me of her intentions, and I do not wish to be a burden on either of you."

"Oh no, it's not that, Reeve," Tifa said hastily, "It's just that....well, your job is kind of important. I wouldn't want you to feel obligated to do anything for me when you've got your career and your co-workers to take care of."

Reeve waved his hand dismissively, "No need to worry about that. My vacation starts tomorrow and it lasts for two weeks. Even after that, the office can work perfectly well without me. I've earned my place in the hierarchy, so I can pretty much take as much time off as I want to, provided it's within reason, of course. At this juncture, I am completely at your disposal."

Tifa blinked at Reeve's words. She had no doubt that she could trust him to take good care of Marlene, but there was still a nagging doubt in the back of her mind that prevented her from reaching a decision. Overall, Yuffie's offer was quite tempting. She would have loved nothing more than to explore the world with her old companion and collect Materia just like old times, but her common sense continued to remind her that it was much safer and sensible for all involved to simply stay in Midgar and watch over Marlene herself. Which was the better choice? What should she do?

Tifa sighed heavily, "Look, as you can imagine, I have a lot on my mind right now. I think I just need some time to think."

"How much time? Hm? Hm? Hm?" Yuffie asked with a childlike eagerness.

"Tomorrow," Tifa said with certainty, "I'll give you both an answer by tomorrow morning. Okay?"

Both Yuffie and Reeve nodded.

"Alright. Reeve, I'm sorry you had to come all this way just to hear me say that, but you can stay here for a while longer if you'd like. I have to open the shop up in about half an hour, so I'm afraid I can't stay here and keep you occupied or anything."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Reeve said humbly, "Actually, I think I shall take you up on your offer. If I'm going to be watching over Marlene for the next few weeks, I think now is as good a time as any to get to know her. I mean, she's never actually seen the real me, right? Just the doll."

"Yes, good point. Marlene's in the living room, so go on ahead and get aquainted. She's not shy at all when it comes to meeting new people," Tifa said. Then a thought struck her, "By the way, what ever happened to that doll?"

Reeve smiled, "Oh, I've still got it around. Maybe I'll bring it along so Marlene can play with it. I've gotten quite good at controlling it, and maybe she'll remember me better if she sees it."

"Right, right," Tifa said as she made her way to the stairs, "I'm going to go shower now and open up the shop. You guys behave now."

"Um, hey Tifa," Yuffie called out as Tifa reached the stairs, "Um....does that invitation extend to me as well? I mean, I don't exactly have a place to stay, and the hotels around here are kinda expensive, and, well, you know......"

Tifa chuckled, "Yes, yes, of course, Yuffie. Make yourself at home. Just don't break anything."

Yuffie held up her hands in a defensive gesture, "Wouldn't dream of it."

The former fighter nodded and made her way up the stairs. As soon as she reached her room, she closed the door, leaned up against it, and exhaled slowly. So much had already happened today; she would probably overload if any new surprises came her way. She did indeed have a great deal to think about. Perhaps a normal day at the shop and a good night's sleep would be enough to help her reach a decision.

And then there was the whole matter of Cloud; she knew that her longtime friend worried about her while they were separated. She could only imagine what his reaction would be if she had to tell him that she intended to look for Materia with Yuffie. Knowing him, he would probably drop whatever he doing and rush right back to Midgar just so he could see for himself whether his fiancé was serious or not. Indeed, if she did decide to accept Yuffie's offer, Cloud would most definitely not approve.

On the other hand, she did feel a trace of resentment towards Cloud for him forcing her to stay behind and miss out on the action. He certainly had his reasons for choosing her to watch over Marlene, but Tifa just couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was being just a bit too overprotective of her.

_No, he knows me better than that_, Tifa reminded herself sternly, _He would never view me as being weaker than the rest of the group._

_Would he?_

Feeling tired beyond her years, Tifa slipped out of her robe and walked gingerly over to the bathroom with the enticing prospect of a nice hot shower to ease her nerves. At this point, she could use a little relaxation.


	3. The Decision

**Chapter 3:**

Tifa sighed in contentment as the hot water of the showerhead massaged her aching muscles in a plume of billowing steam. She basked in the warm embrace of the water for several moments before reminding herself that she had to open the shop soon. She didn't want to keep her customers waiting, after all.

As the young woman scrubbed away her worries with a bar of soap, she allowed her mind to wander once again to the situation at hand. She was still somewhat shocked by the unlikely turn of events that had already transpired today. She woke up that morning expecting yet another uneventful day at the shop, chatting with customers and selling her potions and equipment, followed by some quality time spent with Marlene and maybe a quick phone call to check up on Cloud and the others.

All too sudden, her expectations of a normal day had been dashed in the span of only an hour. Not one, but _two_ old friends had shown up practically at her doorstep, one of which she had never expected to see again for the rest of her days. Furthermore, that same friend now wanted the young woman to leave her tranquil little life behind in order to become a part of the planet's destiny yet again. The full force of the day's proceedings had yet to impact the former fighter; she had grown so accustomed to normalcy in the past three years that this sudden turn of events threw her routine completely off-balance.

_I sure have changed_, Tifa reflected as she lathered up her silky hair, _Back when I was in AVALANCHE with Barret and the others, I would have given anything for a little variety, a little spontaneity. Now look at me: a worried housewife trying to choose between the adventure of a lifetime and her practical responsibilities_, she couldn't help but smile at the thought, _Who would've guessed that this is what I would one day turn into?_

The thought of becoming domesticated was not altogether displeasing, however; she still held onto the hope that she and Cloud might one day start a family together. Her caring for Marlene acted as good practice for when that time finally did arrive. She had never brought up the subject with Cloud, but she could reasonably assume that he shared similar feelings. She knew that he loved her dearly, and even if the thought of starting a family and having children didn't necessarily appeal to him at the moment, she knew he would come to change his mind in time.

Tifa smiled at the memory of her longtime friend. He had changed so much in the past three years. He was no longer the serious, emotionless, bitter man that had led them to victory over Sephiroth and saved the planet from certain destruction. Ever since the death of his mortal enemy and the return of peace to the world, Cloud had become much more caring, open, compassionate, and pleasant to be around. He ceased being stuck up and moody and instead found it easier to express himself and open up to more people. He became more at ease. He became more friendly.

He became happy.

And after a time, Tifa had simply grown to love the new Cloud as she had secretly loved the old one for so many years. She thought about him every day, and she knew that he also thought of her. Nothing could break the bond they had, not even the traces of resentment that Tifa still harbored for being left out of the Materia hunt.

But perhaps he, too, had grown restless since the adventure he and his friends had embarked upon years ago. Perhaps his unquenchable desire to seek action -- to give every last shred of energy he possessed for the good of the planet and its inhabitants -- was what led him to leave his quiet life behind and go on the journey to collect the planet's Materia. At least, Tifa reflected, that seemed like something Cloud would do based on his past actions.

But Tifa could hardly blame him. They both shared the same adventurous spirit, the same untamable urge to see the world in its entirety -- a strong desire to see and do and interact. A desire that no amount of housekeeping and babysitting could ever extinguish.

Tifa rinsed the last frothy remains of shampoo out of her hair and reached for the knob. She didn't need to wait until tomorrow morning; her mind was made up already.

As the young woman watched the water flow lazily down the drain with detached interest, she became aware of a rhythmic brushing noise coming from a few feet away. Curious, Tifa poked her head out from behind the shower curtain and spotted Yuffie on the other side of the bathroom brushing her teeth without a care in the world.

Feeling slightly bemused -- and agitated -- she asked the younger woman an obvious question, "What are you doing?"

"Bruffing my teef. Why?" the ninja inquired through a mouth full of toothpaste. She glanced at Tifa's wet head in the mirror and continued brushing.

Tifa sighed. When she told Yuffie to 'make herself at home', she should have figured that the cheeky ninja would take the offer literally. The former fighter explained, "Well, make it quick please. I need to get dressed soon," she said as she pulled a towel off a nearby rack and retreated back into the shower curtain.

Tifa couldn't help but smirk as she dried herself off. Yuffie was certainly an interesting character; she seemed so naïve and harmless on the outside, but on the inside, she was wise beyond her years. The young ninja obviously lived in a constant state of secrecy covered up by her childish antics, but to Tifa's knowledge, she had never opened up that side of herself. At least, she hadn't done so to anyone in the group in the time that they had traveled together to defeat Sephiroth. Indeed, Yuffie was certainly one of a kind.

And yet, Tifa felt that of all the people that Yuffie had encountered in her journeys, she trusted the former fighter the most. She found that thought to be somewhat gratifying.

Just then, a thought occurred to Tifa as she toweled off her hair. The young woman poked her head out of the shower curtain once more and demanded, "Are you using MY toothbrush?!"

Yuffie shrugged, "It wath the ongly wung here," she said innocently, "and I di'n't bwing mine fhrom home."

Tifa just sighed in resignation and continued to dry herself off. Yes, Yuffie was certainly one of a kind, and Tifa was beginning to find that fact increasingly comforting.

After the ninja had rinsed her mouth out and put her hostess' toothbrush back in its proper place, the effervescent young woman strolled out of the bathroom as she reported to the figure on the other side of the shower curtain, "Thanks Tiff. Can't remember the last time I got to clean my teeth. I'll stand guard by the door so nobody'll disturb you while you get dressed. Not a soul will get by me; not a soul, I say!"

And with a dramatic flourish, the young ninja pranced out of the room and shut the door loudly behind her. Tifa just rolled her eyes. What was she getting herself into?

After she had gotten dressed in her regular attire and applied a few quick strokes of makeup, Tifa opened the door to her room to see Yuffie pacing in a soldier-esque fashion in the hallway. Upon spotting her companion, the ninja saluted, grinned, and dashed down the stairs. Amused, Tifa made her own way down the stairs, checking her watch as she did so. Despite all of the interruptions, it looked like she would make it to the shop just in time.

As the young woman passed by the living room, she had to stifle a giggle as she spotted Reeve sprawled out on the floor, hands extended out in front of him, while Marlene applied several different colors of fingernail polish to the tip of the young man's fingers. The girl chattered to Reeve as she applied a thick coat of glittery purple to her new friend's left ring finger, "....and then everyone will see what pretty nails you have, and they'll ask you who did them, and you'll say it was me, and then everyone will want me to paint their nails as beautiful as I did to yours....."

As Tifa lingered in the doorway on her way out, Reeve shot her a desperate glance. Tifa just smiled and said, "Well, it looks like you two are hitting it off nicely."

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," Reeve commented dryly as he looked at his nails and tried to mask his horror.

Marlene turned to her guardian, "Do you see Mr. Reeve's nails, Auntie Tifa? Aren't they beautiful?"

"Yes, they look lovely, sweetie," Tifa said fondly, "When you're finished, just make sure you do his toenails too."

Reeve's face drained of all color as Marlene, oblivious to her guinea pig's plight, answered, "Ooooh, I almost forgot about that. Thanks, Auntie Tifa!" And with that, the energetic little girl ran over to Reeve's feet and began to tug on his shoe.

Tifa smiled in pure amusement as she turned and walked towards the front door while Reeve, fingernails still wet, tried to stop Marlene from pulling off his expensive dress shoes without actually touching her. The young woman grabbed her purse, opened up the front door, and called behind her, "Bye everyone. I'll be back later tonight!"

"Bye Auntie Tifa!" an excited Marlene called after her while Reeve sputtered in the background.

"Oh.....um.....Tifa, I don't think.....well.....actually, I was beginning to reconsider.....oh, hey, wait. Marlene, dearie, please don't.....ah, be careful with that nail polish now.....oh dear God. Tifa!" he pleaded as Tifa closed the door behind her.

With her head held high, the young woman walked down the sidewalk in a surprisingly good mood. Knowing that this would probably be the last time she took this walk to her shop in a while, she breathed deep and enjoyed the experience.

Yes, she had made up her mind. She was going to do the right thing. She was going to listen to what her heart told her and embrace her adventurous spirit.

She was going to accept Yuffie's offer and help her hunt down the rest of the Materia.

After all, did she ever really have a choice? Either she was going to embrace her nature or deny it; the choice was as simple as that. She had been denying it for close to three years now; why deny it any longer? It was time she became reacquainted with the adventurous youth she had been when she aided Cloud and the others in the battle against Sephiroth -- a side of her that had remained dormant for far too long.

And for the first time in quite a while, Tifa found simple pleasure in just watching the sky and the clouds as she walked. Nothing was going to spoil her day now.

Not even the fact that she had to buy a new toothbrush.


	4. Another Proposal

**Chapter 4:**

Tifa walked down the quaint tree-lined avenue, breathing in the clean, crisp air of the brisk autumn morning. She glanced around her at the small shops and houses that lined the street and reflected on how much Midgar had changed in the three years following the downfall of Shinra. Ever since the new president had been appointed, the city had taken on a much more friendly atmosphere; crime had reduced; pollution had been lessened considerably; the city was growing, thriving, and becoming a great place to live once more.

Even the birds had returned, Tifa noted happily as a pair of finches hopped along the sidewalk happily pecking at whatever small morsels they found. Yes, Midgar had come a long way in such a short time, and there was no doubt that it would continue to grow and thrive for quite a while to come.

The young woman approached the entrance of her shop, a small building set along a quaint avenue of similar stores. She reached into the pocket of her skirt, drew forth a key, and opened up the front door. Stepping inside, she flipped the sign hanging on the door so it displayed the word 'open' and assessed the interior of the small building.

It was a one-room deal, with walls lined with various articles of clothing, armor, and other miscellaneous items while flasks of potions and whatnot occupied two long display cases. Tifa's general store didn't carry any weapons, mostly because there had been little need to use them in recent years. Besides, one of the first things the new president of Midgar did when he came into office was to sign a bill which made it illegal for anyone in the city to carry a firearm, an act which had quickly reduced the crime rate by a considerable amount.

Tifa checked her watch; she had made it right on time, and it would only be a matter of time before her early-morning customers began to show up. She busied herself with the necessary task of wiping the dust off of the display cases and making sure all of her goods were arranged and organized nicely. In no time at all, a young man with shaggy brown hair came through the door.

Tifa smiled; it was Johnny, one of her regular customers. She gave a slight wave as she brushed her hand across a rack of shirts to eliminate wrinkles, "Hey, John. Nice to see you."

Johnny smiled shyly and responded, "Y-yeah, nice to see you too, Miss Tifa."

Tifa sighed happily as she watched the shy young man look through the display cases. He had hardly changed since she first met him at the Don's Place all that time ago; he was still the shy, reserved -- yet very polite and generous -- young man that he had been back then. His recent marriage had done little to change his personality, except for the fact that he seemed to be much happier than before.

"Can I get you your usual?" Tifa asked as she stepped behind the counter.

"No thanks. I'm thinking about getting something different today," Johnny said as he pointed to some bottles with greenish liquid in them, "How about some of those?"

Tifa smiled, "You know you're not old enough to buy those."

"Oh no, my birthday was the other day," Johnny said as he fished out his ID and handed it to Tifa.

The young woman scanned the identification card. Sure enough, he was just barely legal age. She shrugged and rang up the alcoholic beverages, "I didn't know you drank. What's the occasion?"

Johnny just smiled sheepishly and blushed. He cleared his throat and said with a goofy grin on his face, "Ah.....well, you see, um, Penelope and I.....we, ah, we just found out that.....we're gonna be parents!" he finished excitedly.

Tifa broke into a wide grin, "Really? That's great! I'm so happy for you. When did you find out?"

"Just the other day," Johnny said happily, "I'm so excited. I've always wanted to be a father, but I've just had such a hard time finding someone who cared about me. And Penelope is such a great person.....I'm so happy I'm with her."

Tifa put the bottles in a bag and handed it to a blushing Johnny, who quickly shelled out some Gil. He accepted the bag and asked, "So what's new with you, Miss Tifa? Is Cloud okay?"

Tifa nodded, "Yes, he and the others are doing just fine. Last I heard, they were exploring a hidden Materia vein they found near Nibelheim. I think they've almost found it all."

The shy young man asked, "Do you know when he'll be back? He's been gone awfully long and I hate to see you lonely."

Tifa just waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, don't worry about me. I've got Marlene to keep me company. As a matter of fact, I was even thinking about taking a vacation with an old friend."

"Really? Where to?"

"Oh, here and there. We haven't really decided yet. But we're probably gonna end up leaving tomorrow, so the shop'll be closed for a while."

"Ah, well, you certainly deserve a vacation," he said happily, "I hope you have fun."

"Oh, I'm sure I will. If you get the chance, make sure you tell everyone that I'll be gone for a while. You know, just so they won't come to the shop every day wondering where I am," Tifa said off-handedly.

"I will, Miss Tifa," Johnny said as he prepared to leave.

As he reached the door, Tifa called after him, "Congratulations on your baby, John."

"Thanks," he said happily, waved, and walked off.

The rest of the day went along uneventfully. Most of Tifa's regular customers came and went, each of whom she chatted with pleasantly. She got along well with most of the people who were kind enough to frequent her shop, and she made it a habit of learning each of their names in an effort to be friendly. It was no secret why her general store was one of the most-visited shops on the entire sector, and no secret why most of her customers were slightly disappointed when she told them of her vacation plans. Naturally, they all agreed that she needed a break and that they hoped she would have a pleasant vacation, but they all secretly wished she would come back soon. Tifa was well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood, and her positive energy brought smiles to many of the faces she encountered throughout the course of her day.

By the time 5:00 rolled around, Tifa prepared to close up her shop and head home. She counted the money in the register, took stock of the inventory, and replaced everything she had sold today with fresh supplies from the storage room in the back. Once all of these tasks were completed, Tifa placed the day's earnings in her purse, locked up all the doors, and made her way home.

She decided to stop by the bank first to deposit the money she carried before heading home. Checking her watch, she ducked into an alley and walked along the shortcut, humming lightly to herself.

As she passed by a shadowy alcove, a muffled voice suddenly spoke up right next to her ear, "Tifa Lockheart. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

Tifa spun around reflexively, putting her fists up into a fighting stance, "Who's there?" she demanded.

A man walked slowly out of the shadows and stood a few feet away from the fighter, allowing her to get a good look at him. Tifa stifled a gasp when she saw who it was, "Reno.....what do you want?" she asked, wary of the former Turk's intentions.

"Straight to the point, eh? What's the matter, Ms. Lockheart? Not in the mood for small talk today?" the red-haired man asked calmly.

Tifa just sniffed and continued to hold her hands up threateningly, "Well, seeing as how you didn't exactly leave on good terms, can you blame me for being suspicious? Just tell me what you want or go away."

"Fine, fine," Reno shrugged as he fixed the young woman with a bemused stare, "If you must know, I came here because I have an offer for you. An offer that you would be wise to accept."

Tifa's eyes narrowed as she looked over the man she and the others had battled numerous times in the past. His spiky red hair shone with a think coating of hair gel, and the top three buttons of his dress shirt were left undone, exposing his tanned, muscular chest. He carried himself with the same confident, self-assured stance he had always possessed, although the gleam in his eyes was slightly different than it had been three years ago. Whereas before it had been more stable and fixated, now it seemed to be just a bit more desperate and hungry. Just what had caused him to assume this new look?

"I have a feeling I'm not gonna like what you have to say, but let's hear it anyway. What is this offer of yours?" Tifa asked cautiously.

Something flickered across Reno's face for a fleeting moment. Excitement? Eagerness? Joy? Before the young woman could determine the nature of this brief display of emotion, Reno spoke, "I'm here to offer you an open invitation; an invitation to join the organization that will bring this city to prosperity and lead it out of the shallow little false utopia it has found itself in," Reno smiled, a carnal expression, "Tifa Lockheart, I am here to offer you a position in the Neo-Turks."

"Neo-Turks?" Tifa asked uncertainly, "Don't tell me you're trying to reform the Turks."

"Trying?" Reno chuckled softly, "My dear girl, the Turks have _already_ been reformed. Did you honestly think we were just sitting around with our thumbs up our asses these past three years? Oh no, we've been busy, very busy. The Neo-Turks are already over one hundred members strong, and under the firm guidance of their leader -- me -- we shall make sure this city regains its former glory. We've been keeping an eye on you, Tifa. We know you've got what it takes to be a Turk, and seeing as how you don't have anything better to do at the moment, we figured now would be a good time to extend our generous invitation to you. So what do you say?"

Tifa took great pleasure in laughing in his face, "Well, I hate to disappoint you, Reno, but your offer is declined. There's not a chance in hell that I would ever associate myself with a bunch of blood-sucking parasites like the Turks. Go carry out your weak little 'revolution' by yourselves; I'll have no part of it."

Reno folded his arms across his chest and smiled dangerously, "I don't think you understand, Tifa. See, no one -- and I do mean _no one_ -- says no to the Turks, especially when we're generous enough to offer an invitation to you. Now I'll ask you one more time: will you become a Turk, Ms. Lockheart, or will I have to resort to violence to make you see things from our point of view?"

"Go screw yourself, Reno," Tifa said as she turned to walk away, tired of the conversation, "I'm not going to accept your offer, and that's final. Now stay the hell away from me or else _I _may just have to resort to violence to get _my_ point across."

As the young woman turned and stormed down the alley, a threatening click sounded behind her, followed by a sibilant voice warning her, "Walking away would be......most unwise, Ms. Lockheart."

Tifa slowly came to a stop and glanced over her shoulder to confirm what her ears had told her. Sure enough, Reno had a gun aimed levelly at her head, one eye closed as he readied himself to pull the trigger if need be. Slowly, cautiously, Tifa turned back around and confronted the new leader of the Turks. She had impressive reflexes, but she doubted she could dodge a bullet at this distance.

Reno licked his lips and continued, "Like I said, Ms. Lockheart. _Nobody_ says no to the Turks. Normally, you would be dead by now, but I like you, Ms. Lockheart. I see a great deal of potential in you, and it would be such a shame to throw that away so readily, now wouldn't it? However, I'm afraid I must draw the line somewhere. You may consider this your last chance: accept my generous proposal......or die."

Tifa swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and thought desperately of what she should do. Without the aid of Materia to protect her, a bullet would be fatal. She had never necessarily feared the prospect of dying, but now that the opportunity presented itself, she felt terrified. She had not even felt this way when she had fought Sephiroth in all his glory. No, this was different. Whereas her death fighting Sephiroth would have actually meant something -- would have actually been a sacrifice with meaning and honor -- being shot in a dark, damp alleyway held no prospect of pride, no chance of heroism. It would be a dishonorable death, one that Tifa had never thought she would have to deal with. She began to sweat. This couldn't be happening. She wasn't being placed in this situation. No, this wasn't real. She couldn't die here, alone and helpless, while Marlene played happily back at the house, while all her friends expected her to bring happiness to their lives, while Cloud thought about her every day, never forgiving himself for abandoning the love that they held so dear. Everything about this scenario was wrong.

When she didn't respond, Reno raised his eyebrows and said, "Is that a 'no' then? That's really too bad," he cocked the hammer, "You would've made such a fine Turk......"

Then, without warning, a shrill whistling sounded through the deathly silence as a metallic blur cut through the air. Before anybody could react, the blur whizzed towards Reno like a vengeful silver comet.

The Turk suddenly yelped and drew his hand back as if it had been shocked with electricity. His gun fell to the ground -- sliced neatly in two -- as a large silver shuriken lodged itself in the wall behind him.

Reno quickly glanced at his hand, making sure that all of his fingers were accounted for, and lifted his head up with a wild look in his eyes. Shocked, Tifa could only stare in awe as the svelte form of Yuffie jumped down from the rooftops and landed right in between Tifa and a stunned Reno, another sharp shuriken clutched tightly in her hand and a blazing anger burning in her eyes.

In a threatening voice that Tifa had never heard before, Yuffie threatened, "I suggest you get your sorry ass out of here before I take your whole hand off. Nobody -- and I mean _nobody_ -- says no to a threat made by the one and only Materia Master Yuffie Kisaragi."

Reno just regarded the ninja with a look of fury and disappointment as he clutched his trembling hand to his chest, "So......this is the thanks I get for saving you from the Don? If I had known this was going to be how you'd repay me, I would've let him have his sick, perverted way with you."

Yuffie just smirked, "Do you think I owe you for that or something? Pssssht. I would've taken care of the Don myself; I didn't need you or your bald-headed bodyguard to bail me out. Besides, anyone who threatens my friend Tifa is going to get hurt, regardless of what they did for me in the past."

Reno managed an arrogant -- yet unconvincing -- smile as he backed away slowly, "Nobody......nobody says 'no' to the Turks.......don't think this is over. We will get what we want, you mark my word," he said as he turned and walked away as fast as dignity would allow.

Yuffie just laughed and yelled after him, "Just try it, Turk-boy! You even try to get within striking range of Tiff again, and I'm aiming for your manhood next time! And trust me: I'll do more than just take a little off the top!"

Yuffie laughed defiantly as Reno turned a corner and disappeared from view. The ninja skipped over to the wall, plucked her shuriken out of it, and turned back towards the young woman she had just saved, "_Somebody_ owes me a nice big dinner after that, Tiff. Good thing I came along when I did, eh?"

As the adrenaline began to dissipate in Tifa's veins, it was all she could do to simply remain upright. She blinked, and the world began to swim in her vision. What had just happened here?

Before she could form another conscious though, the young woman fainted dead away.


	5. Are You Okay?

**Chapter 5:**

Tifa's mind flitted in and out of consciousness intermittently. She desperately tried to grasp the vague feelings of reality that floated by her like leaves in a stream, but they constantly remained just out of her reach, thwarting her every attempt to grasp them. She registered voices, lights, faces, other sounds, and warmth, but she was unable to fully move into the realm where they would make any sense. She felt like a passing spectator who was simply viewing her world through a moving window.

She didn't know how long she slept or how much of what she saw was real. After what seemed like an eternity of drifting back and forth between reality and ennui, she began to grasp hold of familiar sensations that flitted around her like capricious butterflies. She groaned -- a noise that she had absolutely no control over -- and stirred from where she lay prone on a soft surface of some sort.

"Hey Yuffie, come in here. I think she's coming around," a masculine voice reached Tifa's ears. She tried to focus on the source of the voice, but it eluded her. It sounded familiar, though. Who was it? Cloud? No, it wasn't quite deep enough to be Cloud's voice. Was it Barret? No, not loud enough. Cid? No, it was too polite and restrained. Who was it?

She suddenly found her hand in the warm grip of another person. The same reassuring voice spoke in her ear, "Tifa, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

The young woman opened her eyes, but everything around her seemed blurry and disoriented. She pressed her free hand to her forehead and was suddenly aware that her temples were throbbing. What had happened?

Then, a new voice reached her ears, this one more sprightly and feminine, "Hey, Tiff. About time you woke up. How ya feeling?"

Tifa's eyes slowly began to focus as she rubbed at them with her hand. She was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling of her living room. It was dark, but it was not cold. Someone had thrown a blanket over her and there was a fire burning peacefully in the hearth. She rested her head back down on the pillow and glanced about her. Reeve was kneeling on the floor by her side, her hand being gripped gently in his. Yuffie came sauntering up behind him and plopped down on the coffee table.

Tifa blinked and spoke groggily, "What happened?"

Yuffie shot her a quizzical glance, "You fainted in the alleyway after I chased away that creep Reno. Don't you remember?"

The former fighter tried to recall the memory, and it came to her with a bit of effort. Yes, now she remembered the encounter with Reno. He had almost killed her. He had pointed a gun at her head. He was going to pull the trigger, but then......then Yuffie came and saved her. Yes, that is what happened. What about afterwards? Why did everything after that seem like a blur?

"Did you say I fainted?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yeah, you sure did," Yuffie explained, brown eyes full of concern, "You hit your head on the concrete pretty hard on the way down. I didn't think you were the fainting type, Tiff."

"Yeah, me neither," Tifa agreed with a chuckle. She fainted? That didn't sound right; that didn't sound right at all. She remembered being scared, but scared enough to faint afterwards? She sighed, _I guess I really am getting weaker_, she thought forlornly.

The young woman gently went to withdraw her hand from Reeve's grip, but when she looked at the young man's hands, she couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at the sight of his bright, multi-colored fingernails. Reeve relinquished her hand and stuffed his painted appendages in his pockets self-consciously, a sheepish smile covering his face. He got up off the floor and went over to sit down in a chair near the fire.

"So how ya feeling?" Yuffie repeated.

"Fine, I guess," Tifa answered unenthusiastically. Her head was throbbing, but it wasn't all that bad. She had felt worse, "Where's Marlene?"

"Ah, last time I checked, she was in her room. You want me to get her?" Yuffie asked.

Tifa nodded, and the ninja got up and dashed out of the room. The former fighter rested her hands behind her head and exhaled deeply. Her worries of Marlene were what ultimately caused her to faint back in the alley, now that she thought about it. She didn't want the little girl to have to go through something as traumatic as her death. She was so sweet and innocent; she shouldn't have to deal with something like that.

Reeve, hands still in pockets, spoke up, "So, um......Yuffie told me all about what happened. I couldn't quite believe my ears. I thought for sure the Turks were through."

"Yeah, me too," Tifa said dejectedly, "I never would have imagined that Reno would try to reform them, let alone try to reform such high aspirations. He wanted to rebel against the entire city. Can you believe that? And to think that he actually thought that I would want any part of it......"

"Well, the fledgling government of Midgar is still vulnerable," Reeve said with a shrug, "It's only been in operation for three years now, and right now we're just praying that the peace will last long enough for the president and his cabinet to establish peace. If the Turks were to try anything right now, I daresay they may just have the power and the influence to accomplish their sordid goals. We should definitely keep an eye on them."

Tifa sat upright with a groan and threw the blanket onto the arm of the couch. She rested with her arms on her knees as she stared intently into the fire. So much was beginning to spring up. How could she possibly keep track of it all? She glanced at the clock on the wall -- 9:47. To think, she had awakened that very morning under the assumption that it was going to be just another ordinary day. Instead, the world had suddenly decided to start moving, to start conspiring, to drag her and her friends along a path that could only lead to destruction and fighting and heartache. So much had happened today. So much had changed. So much was suddenly at stake.

At that moment, Marlene burst into the room with Yuffie following closely behind her. The little girl jumped up on the couch and flung her arms around her guardian, "Auntie Tifa! Are you alright? Auntie Yuffie told me you hit your head!"

Tifa chuckled as she stroked the little girl's smooth hair affectionately, "Yes, I'm fine, sweetie. I just fell down, that's all. Auntie Yuffie and Mr. Reeve helped me get better."

She looked down at the little girl and noticed that she was clutching a piece of paper in her hand. The young woman motioned to it and asked, "What's that you've got there?"

Marlene sniffled and handed it to the young woman. Tifa accepted it and looked it over. It was a little card with the words "Get well soon" scrawled on the front in colorful letters. There were little drawings adorning the cover, as well as a few spots of glitter. Tifa opened it up and read what was written on the inside:

_Auntie Tifa,_

_I hope you get better soon. Auntie Yuffie told me you hit your head, and I hope you're okay. I don't want you to be hurt. I'll try to_

"That's when Auntie Yuffie came in and told me you woke up," Marlene said as she pointed to the end of the unfinished sentence. She hugged her guardian again and said, "I'm glad you're okay, Auntie Tifa."

"Oh Marlene, that's no nice of you. Thank you," Tifa said happily as her eyes began to tear up. She returned the embrace and patted the little girl's head, "I feel better now that I have this card. Now why don't you go get ready for bed? It's getting late."

"Okay," the little girl said reluctantly, "Please be careful, Auntie Tifa. I don't want you to hit your head again."

"Don't worry, sweetie; I won't," Tifa reassured the little girl as she scooted off the couch and scampered out of the room.

Tifa slowly stood up, stretched, and placed the unfinished card up on the mantle over the steady fire. She sat back down on the couch and rested her hands on her lap contently.

Yuffie leaned up against the wall casually. She turned to the former fighter and asked, "Ya hungry?"

Tifa glanced over in the ninja's direction and said, "Yes, starving. I haven't eaten since lunch."

"Well, sit tight. I'll go get some of the stuff Reeve made for dinner," Yuffie said as she went into the kitchen.

Tifa glanced over at the young man, "You made dinner? I didn't know you could cook."

Reeve just shrugged, hands still in pockets, "Yeah, a little. I'm no five-star chef, but I can make do with what I've got. Hope you don't mind that I used your kitchen or anything."

Tifa waved her hand dismissively, "No, not at all. I'm just glad you were here to cook for Marlene. I shudder to think what Yuffie would have prepared for her."

"Hey, I heard that!" the young woman in question shouted from the kitchen, "And I'll have you know that I am an excellent cook......when I want to be!"

"Of course you are," Tifa said in the general direction of the kitchen.

A short beep signified that the microwave had finished heating, and Yuffie walked in a moment later carrying a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. She handed it to the former fighter, who accepted it gratefully and began to dig in.

Yuffie sprawled out on a nearby chair and said to no one in particular, "Wonder why those Turkeys decided to resurface now. What do you suppose they want?"

Reeve sighed tiredly as he glanced into the fire, "At this point, we can only speculate on their true intentions. Although, knowing them, they are undoubtedly up to no good."

Tifa swallowed a mouthful of spaghetti and spoke up, "Reno said something about leading Midgar out of the 'shallow little utopia it had found itself in'. It sounds like he's planning a revolt or something."

Reeve snorted, "Yeah, that _definitely_ sounds like something they'd do. Reno always was too ambitious for his own good. With him leading the Turks......" he trailed off, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words.

"Hey Reeve," Yuffie turned to the young man, "You used to work for Shinra, right? What do you know about the Turks that we don't?"

Reeve sighed. He continued to stare into the fire as he answered, "I know they were formed years ago by Tseng, and under his guidance, it turned into a powerful organization. They worked freelance for a while before they became associated with Shinra. Under Tseng's guidance, the Turks were noble, honorable. He was a good man who wanted what was best for the men and women who worked under him. When he died, well, the Turks just kind of fell apart. I was still in Shinra at the time; I saw everything that went on behind the scenes, the things that the big executives didn't want the world to know about. I'd really rather not go into detail about it all, but trust me when I say that what ensued was not pretty. There was a great deal of betrayal and back-stabbing going on, and it would take the death of Rufus for everything to finally quiet down. I'm not entirely sure what happened with the Turks after that, except that they just kind of split up and went their separate ways. I suppose Reno succeeded in getting most of them back together."

"And now they're looking for more members to help them take control of the city," Yuffie added her own thoughts, "including Tiff."

The former fighter looked up as she wiped her mouth on a napkin. She set the plate of food down on the coffee table and rubbed at her aching temples, "This is too much. What would they possibly want with me?"

"Well, you would know better than us, and I guess Reno would know better than you," Yuffie pointed out.

"Right. Well, I haven't got the slightest idea, I'm afraid," Tifa said with a slight shrug, "But now that the Turks have set their sights on me, I doubt they're going to just let me go so easily. You heard what Reno said, right? 'Nobody says no to the Turks'. They're going to try to get me to accept their deal and join them, one way or another."

"The question is," Reeve spoke softly, "what lengths will they be willing to go to in order to get what they want?"

Tifa glanced at the young man questioningly; she didn't like the tone with which he said that. She asked hesitantly, "What do you mean, Reeve?"

The young man sat up straight and tore his gaze from the fire. He fixed Tifa with a piercing stare, "Tifa, you know how tenacious the Turks are, _especially_ Reno. Once he sets his sights on something, he will stop at nothing to get it. _Nothing_. I've known him personally from my days with Shinra, and I know firsthand how ruthless and focused he can be. He's going to employ every trick he knows in order to get his way. There is no limit to the depths he would stoop in order to get you to join the Turks."

Fearing what the young man was going to say next, Tifa found it somewhat difficult to ask, "And just how far do you think he will go?"

Reeve's eyes hardened, "It is my belief that he will try to kidnap Marlene in order to force you to comply. I give him five days at the most to find out where you live, what times you aren't home, and what kind of security system you have here."

Tifa's heart sank into her stomach upon hearing her friend's words. She knew that he was right, of course, but she desperately wanted to believe otherwise. Somehow, her safe, stable little world didn't seem so safe and stable any more.

"Are you speaking from personal experience, Reeve?" Yuffie shot at the young man with a hint of anger.

Reeve turned to the young woman with a look of pleading in his eyes, "No, Yuffie. That was different. I had no choice. They would have killed me otherwise. In fact, if it wasn't for me, the guards would have probably killed Marlene once they didn't need her any more," he stopped talking when he noticed that the color had drained out of Tifa's face. The young man coughed, embarrassed at what he had just said.

Yuffie sighed and sat upright in the chair she occupied, "Right, of course. Sorry, Reeve. I didn't mean to......you know......"

"No, it's okay," Reeve said. He turned back to Tifa, "So what will you do? I hate to be the one to say this, but you and Marlene aren't safe here anymore. I know for a fact that you can hold your own against any one of the Turks, Tifa, but if they decide to storm the house, there's nothing you can do to protect yourself or Marlene."

"I know, I know," Tifa said as panic began to well up in her mind; she banished the feeling and continued, "Look, I guess Marlene and I will just have to move. I mean, Midgar is a big place. The Turks can't be everywhere, can they?"

Reeve shot her a concerned glance, "Come on, Tifa. We both know that you don't really believe that. No matter where you go in this city, the Turks will find you. It's only a matter of time"

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Yuffie interjected excitedly, "Why don't we take Marlene with us to look for Materia? Huh? It'll be fun! We can show her everything the world has to offer!"

Tifa shook her head immediately, "No, it will be far too dangerous. I would sooner turn myself over to the Turks than place Marlene in any danger."

"Well, maybe she can stay with me," Reeve suggested, "I live in Main Tower in the center of the city along with all of the other presidential advisors. There's security there like you wouldn't believe. I have no doubt that the Turks won't be able to reach her there. That'll leave you two to go out and embark on your Materia hunt."

Tifa sighed and picked at a loose thread on the couch cushion, "I appreciate the offer, Reeve, but I couldn't ask you to do anything like that. Besides, you know I would worry about her every day that I was away from her."

Reeve unconsciously held up his hands in a defensive gesture, his sparkly nails shining in the firelight, "It's okay, Tifa. I was willing to look after Marlene while you were gone anyway, so why would I change my mind now? Besides, now I won't have to pack all my stuff and move in to your house; I can just take her back to mine. I assure you that she will be one-hundred percent safe. I can easily pull a few strings here and there to get extra security put into place around my house and Marlene will never even know about it. And you've always got your cell phone, right? You two can call and talk whenever you want to.

"Besides, I think it would actually do you some good to get out of the city for a while. You always were such a free spirit, Tifa, and when I heard that you had settled down and bought a house, I was shocked, frankly. Staying here and worrying about your life just doesn't sound like something you would do. Leaving the confines of this city will be infinitely beneficial to you, I assure you. What do you think, Tifa?" the young man concluded.

Tifa glanced at him and smiled slightly; he had a good point, and she knew she could trust him to ensure Marlene's well-being. The new president's concern for security was legendary, and she had no doubt that Reeve's assurances of Marlene's safety were accurate. And he was right: she _could_ call whenever she wanted to check up on the little girl.

And yet, she still felt a pang of guilt for even entertaining the thought. Cloud had placed the responsibility of caring for Marlene squarely on her shoulders, and she felt like she was cheating by giving that responsibility to somebody else. What would Cloud and the others think of all this? She certainly couldn't hide any of this from them; they would find out about it eventually. Was she really doing the right thing? Was this truly the best course of action to take?

_No, I need to stop worrying about Cloud_, Tifa reminded herself, _I can make this decision for myself. If I stay here, Marlene's life is in jeopardy. And it's not like I'm handing her over to some stranger to watch over or anything; if she is placed in the supervision of Reeve, not only will she be safe and secure, but she will be in the care of someone who is familiar and trusted. _

The situation seemed win-win. Why, then, was she still apprehensive?

In a sudden moment of certainty, Tifa cleared her mind of all negative thoughts and focused solely on the pragmatic aspects of her situation. It would be foolish _not_ to accept Reeve's offer. She answered the young man, "Yes, Reeve, you're right. You......are right. I can trust you with my life, and with Marlene's. I have absolute certainty in your ability to watch over her."

"So......that means......" Yuffie spoke up excitedly.

Tifa nodded, "I'll come with you to search for Materia while Reeve watches after Marlene back at Main Tower."

Yuffie jumped up from her seat in excitement, "All riiiiiight! The Materia Hunters are back in business!"

Tifa went to stand up, but was immediately engulfed in a monstrous bear hug by the delighted ninja. Tifa tried to extricate herself from her friend's grip, but Yuffie, oblivious to the former fighter's efforts, just continued to giggle and express her happiness, "Oh, you won't regret this decision, Tiff! It'll be just like old times! We'll scour the world, collect Materia, and save the planet from certain destruction once again! Just you and me, pal! Materia Hunters all the way!"

"Yes......sounds like fun......" Tifa gasped as she escaped from her friend's death grip. We'll leave first thing tomorrow, okay?"

"Yup, sounds good," Yuffie agreed as she pranced over to the fireplace and pulled Reeve up out of his chair by his bright fingers, "Get up, man! It's time to celebrate! You're gonna be a daddy for the next few months!"

Tifa smiled as she watched the unassuming Reeve try to fend off the persistent ninja. She spoke up, "Listen, you two. I'm going to go tell Marlene everything, and after that she's going to bed, so _be quiet_. She has a big day ahead of her tomorrow and I'd like her to get enough sleep."

"Righto," Yuffie saluted with one hand while her other arm was wrapped around Reeve's shoulders, "We've all got a big day tomorrow, it seems."

Tifa just nodded as she left the room. Indeed, they all did have a big day ahead of them tomorrow. For better or for worse, their lives were about to change dramatically.


End file.
